After Tex

“I suppose,” he said with obvious reluctance.

Jake emptied Tess’s pockets, turning them inside out for the sheriff’s benefit. He came up with a candy bar wrapper, a couple of pennies, some lint and a wilting daisy, which he suspected came from Tex’s funeral bouquet.

“Satisfied?” Tess demanded, eyeing them all belligerently.

“My apologies,” Bryce said, then looked toward Jake. “I had no choice. You know that, don’t you?”

“Can I sue him now?” Tess asked. “Her, too?”

“We’ll talk about it,” Jake said. When Tess appeared ready to balk, he added, “Over ice cream.”

She followed him docilely enough after that. When they were back on the sidewalk outside, he paused. “How’d you get into town, anyway? And why would you go into that store when you know how Mrs. Perkins is? She thinks every kid in town is out to rob her blind.”

“I came in with Megan. As for the other…” Tess shrugged. “I guess I just like to see her get herself all worked up watching me every second. That Lyle, though, he gives me the creeps.”

“Then I suggest you steer clear of the place. Now, where’s Megan?”

“Beats me. I pointed her in the direction of the new office-supply place, then took off. She didn’t seem real disappointed to see me go.”

“Did you arrange to meet her someplace?”

Tess shrugged. “I figured we’d both turn up at the car sooner or later.”

Jake sighed. Clearly Tess intended to make him work for his answers. She was volunteering nothing. “Where’d she park?” he asked next.

“A couple of blocks that way,” Tess conceded, jerking a thumb over her shoulder.

“Let’s go see if she’s there.”

“I thought we were going for ice cream.”

“We will, after we find Megan and let her know you’re okay.”

“Like she’d care,” Tess muttered.

Obviously things weren’t going smoothly with the bonding. “Don’t you think maybe you should give her a break?” he asked.

“Why? She doesn’t give a rat’s behind about me.”

“Maybe because she hasn’t had a chance to get to know you, any more than you’ve taken the time to get to know her.”

“What’s the use? She’ll leave.”

To his very deep regret, Jake’s heart thudded at that. “Has she said that?”

“No, but she will. Everybody does.”

Jake gave up trying to argue the point. All the evidence in her young life was on her side. It would take time to prove that Meggie was different, that she had staying power. For Tess’s sake, he prayed to God he was right about that. She was already jaded enough without another disappointment.

“Any idea what she was getting at the office-supply place?” he asked.

Tess shot him a disgusted look. “Duh! Office supplies would be my guess.”

“You know, kid, one of these days somebody’s going to take exception to that smart mouth of yours.”

“Oh, yeah? Who?”

“Lyle Perkins for one. You did your darnedest to rile him back there.”

She grinned. “I know,” she said proudly. “Who else?”

“Me.”

“And then what?” she asked, clearly unintimidated. “You gonna lock me in my room?”

“No. I’ll wash your mouth out with soap, the way my mama used to do with me.”

Tess’s eyes widened. “She did that? Oh, gross.”

“Gross pretty much sums it up, but it was effective. I cleaned up my language. Think about it.”

Jake fell silent, as did Tess, though whether she was actually pondering his warning was anybody’s guess. She trailed along a step or two behind him, scuffing the toes of her sneakers on the sidewalk.

He spotted Megan up ahead, looking predictably more impatient than worried.

“There you are,” she said, when she noticed Tess behind him. “Where on earth have you been? I’ve been waiting here for a half hour at least.”

Tess shot an imploring look his way. Jake relented and left the encounter with the sheriff and Mrs. Perkins unmentioned. “Visiting with me,” he said. “We were going for ice cream and came to ask you to join us.”

“I was hoping to get back to the ranch so I could get all this equipment set up. I have work to do.”

Jake peered into the back of the sport utility vehicle. There were a half-dozen cartons, along with bags that appeared filled with reams of paper and other supplies. He took heart from the sheer amount and extravagance of the purchases.

“Was this stuff cheaper here than it would be in New York?” he inquired lazily.

“Of course, but that wasn’t the point.”

“What was?”

“I need a few things if I’m going to be able to get anything done while I’m here.”

He took a better look at the cartons. “A fax machine, a copier, a computer, a printer, a scanner. Yep, that ought to get you through the afternoon, all right.”

“I’m delighted you approve. Now, if you don’t mind, we’ll be on our way.”

“I mind,” Tess protested. “Jake promised me ice cream, after what happened.”

Only when the words were out of her mouth did she realize her mistake. She slapped a hand over her mouth and backed away a step.